Cowboys & Aliens

http://www.cowboysandaliensmovie.com

I knew next to nothing about Cowboys & Aliens until my cinema buddy told me about the film. I then started to see articles in various film magazines and trailers, but it never really grabbed me. Despite this, I agreed to accompany my cinema buddy to see the film last week.

The film opens on a man (Daniel Craig), asleep in the desert. He soon wakes up to find a strange device attached to his wrist. He has no memory of who he is, how he got there or what this device is. He walks to the nearest town where he soon discovers he is a wanted criminal by the name of Jake Lonergan. When night falls the town is attacked by aliens who capture several of the town's inhabitants, including the son of Woodrow Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford). Dolarhyde is the most feared resident of this small town as his cattle farm is the only source of income the town has. Dolarhyde, Lonergan and a small band of townspeople go in search of the aliens and those they have captured, in the hope to get back the ones they love, and rid the town of the alien menace once and for all.

Considering this was a film I didn't particularly want to see in the first place, I can't begin to describe how disappointed I was with it. But I will try. Firstly, the mixing of the genres, western and sci-fi, does not work. Not on any level. It might have worked in the comic book from which it is based, but as a film, no. Just no.

Second, it is boring. We're talking a tumbleweed rolling across the screen would be more exciting than this film is, kind of boring. You keep expecting it to get better and for something really cool to happen. But it never does.

Third, Daniel Craig. I will never understand the attraction that people have to Daniel Craig. I should explain that the reason I picked the poster I did is because you can't see his weird, craggy looking face but you can see his rather shapely bottom, which is about the only thing he's got going for him.

I don't know if I can go on - or if you'd want me to. This really is one of the dullest films of the summer. You don't get a particularly good view of the aliens, and when you do they look just like a million other aliens you've already seen. And to top it all off, it has a really naff 'let's tie all these strings into a nice little bow' kind of ending.

The film should just be avoided until it finally leaves the saloon. 3 out of 10.

Viewing Date - 24th August 2011

UK Release Date - 17th August 2011

Cast Overview:
Daniel Craig ~ Jake Lonergan

Harrison Ford ~ Woodrow Dolarhyde

Abigail Spencer ~ Alice

Buck Taylor ~ Wes Claiborne

Olivia Wilde ~ Ella Swenson

Sam Rockwell ~ Doc

Matthew Taylor ~ Luke Claiborne

Cooper Taylor ~ Mose Claiborne

Clancy Brown ~ Meacham

Paul Dano ~ Percy Dolarhyde

Director ~ Jon Favreau

Writer(s) ~ Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof, Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby - Screenplay. 

Plus Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby and Steve Oedekerk - Screen Story. 

And finally Scott Mitchell Rosenberg - Platinum Studios Comic Book. 

(Have you ever heard the saying, too many writers spoil the film?)